


Tainted

by Rynmaru



Category: Attack on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin
Genre: Ages Are Not Canon, Alternate Universe, BoyxBoy, Future Canon Universe, M/M, Reincarnation, Steampunk/Industrial World, Titan Levi, Titan Shifter Levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2018-11-21 08:25:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11353626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynmaru/pseuds/Rynmaru
Summary: It's been hundreds of years since the Survey Corps was annihilated in its final expedition beyond the walls. Hundreds of years since humanity has encountered titans up close on the field of battle. Hundreds of years of peace and prosperity within the two remaining walls. So when a lowly furnace worker of the underground, Levi Ackerman, is abruptly thrown into illegal activity to restore the Survey Corps and recover a weapon rumored to be the key to humanity's freedom, he had no idea what he would encounter. But he certainly never dreamed that the secret they discovered beyond the walls would unleash so many demons with such disastrous consequences.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a gift for a friend of mine @graspingforstrawberries A warning in advance. This story will contain some spoilers, but it was created well before the truth about the Basement was revealed by Isayama. I have made some minor modifications but I intend to stick with my original story and not try to make it match the information Isayama has provided. That being said, I know things are out of line with the canon so please refrain from telling me so! :) Enjoy the story!

Acidic rain drizzled miserably from the murky brown clouds choking the sky, pattering on shingles, raincoats, and umbrellas held by the pedestrians trudging through the street. Levi pushed his way through the press of people, his thin frame jostled around easily and he gripped the leather strap of the messenger bad he had slung crosswise around his shoulders. His hood was pulled up as far as it could go over his dark hair, hiding the soot and oil smearing his pale face while serving as protection from the rain. Even so, some struck the skin exposed between his sleeve and his worn black leather work gloves. He only grimaced and walked faster, towards a cluster of thick smoke stacks belching black, greasy fumes into the already polluted sky. As he drew closer, Levi deviated from the main road and went down a side street, casually slipping a warm loaf of bread into his bag as he passed a vendor’s cart and disappearing into the crowd just as fast. The new street was more like an alley, but less people were walking there so the going was easier. At the end, a stairwell led down into the earth and Levi descended without breaking stride.  
The air grew thick as he trudged deep into the dark, his hands out on either side to steady himself on the wall and act as a guide. The passage was close enough to make anyone feel claustrophobic but Levi was used to it and moved forward, unfazed. His footsteps echoed hollowly as he walked in the darkness. Left. Right. Ever deeper. Then light appeared, a flickering reddish glow, and as Levi turned a corner he was struck by a blast of hot air, drying any lingering rain and scorching his skin. His grey eyes narrowed against the heat as he stepped through a set of double iron doors into a massive cavern bathed in the wavering, hellish glow. Houses sprawled across the floor of the cave, disappearing into the shadows at the edges by the wall. The ceiling rose hundreds of feet above Levi’s head as he walked into the maze of homes. Some were standing for the most part, windows boarded up to afford the inhabitants some privacy, but most were run down shacks. He even saw a few tents pitched in alleys. Down here overcrowding was typical. All the government’s unwanted problems were shunted here: the orphaned, the poor, the abusive and abused, the weak, the dangerous, the criminals. Levi fit neatly into five of those categories, living with the resigned attitude that everyone down here eventually adopted. Those who were sent here never left, and those born here never had a chance to escape.  
He was growing nearer to the source of the scorching heat, a massive, many tiered furnace, rumbling and roaring with fire, the smoke filtered out through several pipes that emerged as the massive cluster of smoke stacks up on the surface. Levi skirted around the edge of the clearing where the furnace sat, eyes tearing up at the heat and smell of sweat and garbage. People, children mostly, stood knee deep in the filth and shoveled it into the gaping maw of the furnace, faces and skin blistered and many sporting burns. Levi turned his face away and ducked his head, not wanting to see any more. He made it around to the far side and through more houses to the wall of the cavern. No one knew exactly what sort of a place this was, many speculated it had been an old hiding place for humanity when the Titans first appeared. Others thought that the cavern was where the Titans had spawned from. Speculation ranged from plausible to ridiculous. Levi didn't bother with any of it, his main concern was providing for his friends. He reached up and pulled down a ladder from where it hung above from a metal platform. More stairs led upwards, zigzagging along a wall pockmarked with large, man-made caves. The poorest people lived in these, separated from the slightly higher casts. Omega 9s lived in the walls like insects burrowing into the bark of a tree. The rest of the Omegas populated the grungy city on the floor of the cavern while Betas and Alphas worked as merchants and rulers up on the Surface. Reaching one of the higher holes, Levi thrust aside the tattered brown cloth that acted as a door and stepped inside, squinting in the suddenly dim light of only a single lantern hanging from the ceiling. “Sorry I'm late, Furlan. The overseers kept us longer than usual.” Levi said, his voice low and hoarse from lack of use. Furlan turned to look at him, ash brown hair looking darker in the wavering light.  
“Hush, I finally got Isabel to sleep and I don't want her to wake up just yet.” Levi moved closer and set his bag on the table, pausing to glance at the red haired eight-year-old on a makeshift bed. Furlan’s adoptive child of five months since they'd discovered her abandoned in an alley. Levi still hadn't warmed up to the fragile child but was fiercely protective even if he did keep his distance.  
Opening his satchel, Levi emptied out the contents, the stolen loaf of bread and an assortment of tools, worn out from use, but very clean and well maintained. Furlan picked up the bread and gave Levi a disapproving look.  
“What have I told you about stealing? We aren't that desperate yet.”  
Levi grimaced and picked up one of his tools. “As long as we have food each night I don't care about your morals. Now are you going to get off your high horse and eat or lecture me and starve. I'm more than happy to eat this myself.”  
Furlan drew up a stool and sighed. Levi pulled out a knife and cut two thick slices of the bread. It was still warm and Furlan’s expression softened a little. “You're too young to be this skilled at stealing.”  
Levi ignored him even though he felt a spike of irritation. At eighteen he was no child, hadn't been since he was thirteen and had legally come of age as an Omega 9, old enough to be put to work on the furnace, shoveling trash first, but slowly rising in the ranks as his unexpected skills with tools got him noticed by Furlan, a junior technician of twenty-five at the time.  
He took a bite of the bread and watched the flickering shadows cast on the wall by the lantern. Then he reached for his tools and picked up a wrench, holding it to the light and carefully examining it for any sign of damage, before reaching for a greasy rag and carefully oiling the joint. “This kept sticking today...it got me behind several panels.”  
Furlan leaned forward to look then nodded approvingly. “Well I'll be back to help you in a day or so.”  
Levi looked up in surprise, Furlan hadn't been working for a long while now and Levi had assumed he'd found a way to go into early retirement with the excuse of parenthood. Furlan smiled a little sadly, “I can't retire. If they knew about Isabel they'd send her to a foster home or put her to work five years too early. She wouldn't survive that. I've made a deal with a neighbor so she can take care of Isabel during the day.”  
“What sort of deal?” Levi growled suspiciously.  
“Five denera per week and a share of our food.”  
“What?!” Levi exploded, furious and horrified. “We’ll starve with that sort of deal, Furlan! I’ll respect your decision taking that brat in, but not if she makes the rest of us go hungry!”  
Furlan made a sharp gesture, trying to shut Levi up but Levi ignored him. “You can starve if you want, Furlan, but I'm not going to steal food if it only goes to some greedy witch who’s going to use that kid as free labor while we work ourselves to death.”  
“We have no choice, Levi!”  
“You can stay home and I'll work extra-”  
“Not a chance. I won't allow that.”  
“Furlan-”  
“Aneki…?” A sleepy voice broke into their conversation and the two young men turned to look at the little girl sitting up in a jumble of blankets, her red hair tangled and sticking up all over her head. Furlan shot Levi an angry look even as the girl’s green eyes lit up and she threw herself at Levi, wrapping her arms around his chest and pinning his arms to his side as she climbed into his lap and clung tightly. “I missed you, Aneki!”  
Levi had gone tense and awkward at the sudden contact but at a sharp stare from Furlan he disentangled himself enough to ruffle Isabel’s hair, making it even more of a mess before quickly moving to straighten it up. “Hey brat.”  
Isabel seemed to take that as permission to remain in Levi’s lap and settled herself comfortably. Levi sighed as she squirmed with pent up energy and saw at a glance how tired Furlan looked the moment she had woken up. The little spitfire was draining his energy and Furlan was clearly having trouble keeping up with her.  
“Here.” Levi reached for the remaining half of his slice of bread and held it up in front of Isabel. “I'll let you have this if you go eat it in bed and go straight to sleep. Furlan and I will go to bad soon,” he promised as he noticed Isabel’s pout. “You aren't missing anything.”  
There was a moment’s hesitation on Isabel’s part then she snatched the bread and reluctantly slid off Levi’s lap, her bare feet making almost no noise as she hit the stone floor of their one room home. “Night Aneki…” She said through a mouthful of bread and Levi gave her the faintest of smiles before turning back to face Furlan. The tall man looked resigned, dark shadows formed below his eyes from fatigue as he looked steadily at Levi.  
“My decision is final, Levi,” he said, picking up their interrupted conversation. “I will go back to work the day after tomorrow and I expect you to keep a civil tongue in your head no matter how you feel.”  
The rebuke was soft, but the cool tone made Levi’s icy glare soften a little with something akin to shame. He jerked his head in the slightest of nods and slipped his wrench back into its pouch in his satchel, standing and walking towards the back of the cave and the sagging mattress he slept on. As he sat down to unlace the scuffed work boots he wore, Furlan’s soft voice reached him.  
“I'm not doubting your ability to provide and take care of yourself, Levi.”  
Levi set aside his boots at the foot of his bed and looked back at Furlan, eyes glinting silver in the lamp light. “I know.”  
Seeming satisfied, Furlan leaned towards the lamp as Levi turned to face the rough hewn wall and tugged the tattered blanket around himself. A moment later the warm glow of light went out and they were left in the relative darkness. Levi shut his eyes tightly against the flickering flames of the furnace and drifted into a deep slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story is a slow burn. This is the build up.

The thin wail of a siren cut through the roar of the furnace and the rattling of metal gears as they ground in their endless revolutions. Levi sat back and ran the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping away the sweat and brushing the damp hair away from where it clung to his flushed skin. It was time for his break and, short though it was, if he hurried he would have time to get down to the water jug before they ran out. He tucked a small screwdriver into his satchel and fastened it shut as he walked down towards the metal stairs and the ground. The heat was stifling this close to the furnace and Levi’s shirt clung to his thin frame, clearly showing his muscles as they flexed and knotted with every movement of his body. Soot darkened his skin and colored the rivulets of sweat a filthy grey as they streamed down his face and neck.  
Reaching out, Levi gripped the metal railing firmly and swung up and over it, falling to the ground several feet below and landing in a crouch. Standing, he took in the stream of workers heading for the water distributors and broke into a jog, hoping to beat the majority of the crowd and be the first to drink while there was a chance of the cup being clean. He was only just in time, stepping up to the water jug just as the first workers came up behind him.  
“On time as usual, Levi.” The pretty blonde in charge of food distribution said, her hazel eyes shining gold in the light of the flames. Levi gave her the ghost of a smile. “There’d be nothing left if I came any later, Petra.”  
Petra nodded and dipped one of the three tin cups into the large jar of water and held it out to Levi. He took it and drank it slowly, the comparatively cold liquid soothing his dry mouth and throat. He tipped his head back to drain the last drops and handed it back to Petra who had turned to serve the others crowding around. Resisting the urge to cast a final, longing glance at the water, Levi turned and started back towards the stairs.   
A figure caught his eye and Levi paused, turning to look across the debris strewn clearing. A woman stood in the narrow gap between two houses, red hair up in a high ponytail as she surveyed the workers around the furnace. Then her eyes locked with Levi’s. He stared back, uncertain if she was really looking at him. She wore the clothes typical of most workers down here, but he could tell at a glance she was no Omega. She was too clean, too professional, there was too much emotion in her face. Levi blinked and the woman was gone with nothing but the wavering, heated air to be seen in her place. He turned away. The heat was starting to get to him if he was seeing things like that.  
“3720, get back to work!” Roared the raspy voice of one of Levi’s overseers, calling out his number. Pushing thoughts of the woman from his mind, Levi turned and trudged back to the furnace

“Shina this is the pits…” Groaned one of the boys on Levi’s work detail.  
“Whining about it won't help you, brat.” A seventeen year old with white blonde hair said in an aloof voice, earning groans from his fellow workers. A blonde boy piped up from the front of the group, “Shut up, Oluo, quit trying to act like Levi would you? You're being an idiot.”  
“Well someone has to keep you kids from dragging us all down with your depressed commentary-”  
Levi tuned out the bickering of Oluo and the rest of his maintenance squad as he lagged behind the group. As he moved to sidestep a filthy puddle of something he tried not to think about, a burly man, hood pulled up over his face, roughly jostled him and knocked one of his tools free of its holster on the side of his bag. A careless kick sent it clattering into an alleyway and Levi turned to give the man several choice words, but he had vanished, seemingly into thin air. Sullen, Levi entered the alley and scanned the ground for the wrench, finally seeing it half hidden under a trash pile. Disgusted, Levi picked it up with the tips of his fingers and reached for a rag to wipe it clean of the filth clinging to it. As he did so he heard a noise behind him and whirled, holding the wrench like a weapon. The alley was empty and he sighed. Nothing to be afraid of. He was jumping at shadows. Even as the thought crossed his mind, a hand clamped over his mouth, calloused from work but smelling of soap, a luxury rarely found in the Underground. Levi cried out in alarm, the shout rendered inaudible by the suffocating grip and he swung wildly with his wrench only for his attacker to grab his wrist with bruising strength squeezing until he thought his bones would snap and Levi dropped the tool. It hit the dirt ground with a muffled thump and an instant later Levi’s legs were knocked out from underneath him and he fell hard to the ground. He caught himself but a knee forced his chest flat against the ground and a hand slammed his face into the earth. Levi tasted blood as he bit his cheek and his vision flashed black and red. As he lay momentarily stunned, he felt rope quickly bind his wrists and ankles and a blindfold quickly shuttered his vision. Fingers entwined in his black hair and yanked him upright before an arm encircled his waist and hoisted him over his captor’s shoulder. As Levi’s mind began to clear he realized that they were moving at a run, the movement jostling him sufficiently enough so as to disorient him and knock the breath from him on multiple occasions. But through that he felt the mind numbing fear that threatened to consume him. Kidnapping was not uncommon in the Underground, but those claimed by the shadowy trafficking agents were never seen again.  
Rapid footsteps pounding over stone and dirt, water dripping, mumured voices, the creaking and roaring of the furnace far behind them. These sounds blended together and Levi went limp, no longer struggling, saving his strength for a final escape attempt. Just as he was steeling himself for the struggle, he heard the slam of a door directly behind him.  
“You got him, Mike!” Cried the last voice Levi expected to hear. A woman’s. The only response was a grunt and Levi was dropped into a chair and his arms were tied to the back. Levi writhed the whole while, shouting mental abuse at his captors. A hand slid under the blindfold at the back of his head and he froze.  
“I’m sorry for the scare, 3720,” a deep, soothing voice cut through Levi’s panic and anger. “I assure you, we wouldn't have done this if we weren't sure that this was the only way to bring you here.”  
The hand moved to remove the gag from Levi’s mouth. “That should be slightly more comfortable. However, we can't risk taking your blindfold off until we’re certain that you'll not turn us in to the Military Police. You understand, of course.”  
Levi opened and closed his mouth, loosening his stiff jaw, and then spat in the direction of the man’s voice. There was a sharp intake of breath from the woman who seemed to be standing behind him, and the quick scuff of shoes on wood as if someone were approaching, but from the speaker himself there seemed to be no reaction. There was a long silence and then the voice said calmly: “That was juvenile.”  
“Don't lecture me,” Levi growled, glaring into the darkness of the blindfold. He shifted uncomfortably, the ropes chafing his wrists.  
“Very well. We have more important matters to discuss.” A chair scraped across the floor. “I have a business proposition for you, one that could make you a lot of money.”  
Levi’s interest was piqued, but he did not show it, keeping his expression blank. “I don't do deals with cowards.”  
“Cowards?” The voice held a hint of amusement and what was unmistakably a stifled laugh broke from the woman behind him. “Please explain the reason for your insult, 3720.”  
Gritting his teeth in a grimace of distaste, Levi said coldly: “Down here we have a different code than Surface dwellers. Kidnapping is the lowest crime down here. Blindfolding your prisoner is even worse. It's one thing to take someone in a fight, but it's a very different thing to have power over someone and keep them disoriented. Even if you have some warped idea that your intentions are good. Only cowards hide in the dark.”  
Falling silent again, Levi fully expected a blow or some sort of punishment for this sort of impudence, but none came. Instead he felt warm breath against his cheek for a split second and then the blindfold was slid off his head. The sudden light was blinding and Levi shut his eyes against it, squinting until they adjusted. A figure came into view across from him. He wore black slacks and a white shirt, his blonde hair was combed neatly to the side, and his intensely blue eyes stared unwaveringly into Levi’s grey ones.  
“Better?” Still slightly disoriented, Levi nodded slowly, warily. The man leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. “Then allow me to present my offer to you. My friends and I have come across some old but sophisticated machinery that we cannot trust anyone but the best and most discreet to fix. We wanted to keep this quiet for as long as possible, you see. Technology like this was banned centuries ago. We only have vague notes as to how it works. This is where you come in. Hanji has been watching you for a few days now and says that you seemed like the best Omega for the job. You're skilled, quiet, and not important enough to be missed if you're gone for a night working.” Running his fingers through his immaculate hair as though it needed to be fixed, the man sighed softly. “This is of the utmost importance. Will you help us? You will be compensated for your time, three times what you are paid per year.”  
Levi’s eyes grew wide with shock at the promise. That much money would be enough to keep Furlan, Isabel, and himself fed for months to come with some to spare for luxuries like new clothes. So much wealth was almost unheard of down in the Underground. He did not hesitate with his response. “I'll do it.”  
A satisfied smile touched the corners of the man’s mouth and he gave a short nod. “Good. Mike come with me to get the supplies. Hanji, work on untying him.”  
Nimble fingers instantly began untying the ropes binding Levi to the chair. A strangely sweet smell hung about the woman, vanilla maybe, like what could be smelled wafting out of bakeries on the Surface. It was a calming aroma.  
“No hard feelings, right?” The woman asked cheerfully as the last knot came loose and Levi stood, rubbing his sore wrists. “Erwin was just trying to keep us safe and you too. We were desperate you see, and while it may be hard for you to believe considering the uncertainty you live in down here, on the Surface there is just as much danger. What we’re doing isn't exactly legal.”  
Levi turned, curious, then he stopped short, recognizing the person standing before him. This “Hanji” was the same auburn haired woman he had seen watching him by the furnace earlier.  
“You!” He said, louder than he had intended. A grin spread across Hanji’s face. “You recognize me! I'm flattered! Zoe Hanji at your service, 3720.” She paused then and frowned. “What’s your real name? I'm assuming you don't just go by a number.”  
For a moment Levi hesitated, unwilling to give his name to a total stranger. Then he decided it couldn't do him much harm and shrugged slightly. “Levi.”  
Hanji held out a hand to shake his and Levi took it with something akin to disbelief. These people were clearly Betas, although Erwin could pass for an Alpha, and for one of them to treat an Omega, particularly an Omega9 as an equal, was almost unheard of. As their hands clasped briefly, Levi noted how clean and soft her warm skin was, far different from his pale hand covered in scars, callouses, and dirt.  
“Levi...what?” There was a lightness to her tone.  
“Just Levi. I've never had a last name.”  
“Well then, ‘Just Levi,’ I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention to anyone that I let slip about our illegal activity.” She raised a finger to her lips and winked. “Erwin would put me on desk duty for the next six months!”  
“For the good of everyone, Hanji. You're a menace.” Levi turned towards Erwin’s voice as the man stepped through the doorway and set a box of metal parts down on the table. Mike followed suit and then went to stand by the door like a guard.  
Hanji took Erwin’s jibe cheerfully and sat down in the chair that Levi had previously occupied. “Guilty as charged! But don't worry, Just Levi won't tell anyone.”  
“Shut up,” Levi muttered as he dragged over one of the boxes and removed a rectangular metal box made of a curiously light metal. A piece of paper with crudely drawn instructions, or rather approximations of instructions, was attached to it.  
“See? We’re friends already!”  
To his surprise, Levi found himself smiling internally. Hanji had a honest, open air about her that set him at ease and her quick acceptance of him certainly helped. But he quickly lost interest in the conversation around him, becoming absorbed in the mechanics before him. Levi loved the order and clean cut way machines worked, but this one was particularly elegant and well made, even in this state of disrepair.  
Within minutes he had his tools spread out on the table as he examined the pieces of metal. Several boxes...some gears...a long coil of thick wire with a barbed end. His silver eyes took in the most minute details, his slender fingers piecing the intricate puzzle together. It wasn't until he was double checking the equipment that he realized that Hanji and Erwin were watching over his shoulders. Finishing, Levi wiped his dirt and grease smeared hands on a rag before taking a moment to admire his work. The pieces were scuffed, tarnished, and spotted with rust in some areas, but they would function to the best of his knowledge. They looked a bit bulky, but he knew the internal mechanics would be perfect.  
“He did it…” Hanji whispered, voice trembling with excitement. “He really did it!”  
Erwin just nodded, reaching to touch the closest of the three creations. Levi’s curiosity prompted him to ask Hanji, “What are they?”  
“3D Maneuvering Gear. Over a hundred years ago they were used to fight the Titans. But then more than half of the army was slaughtered in a failed attack so the military fell out of favor with the people. Since then they've basically destroyed what’s left of the old army, weapons, machines, even books that mention them. They've repurposed all of their old headquarters and outposts too...so when Erwin told me he found three full sets I almost didn't believe him.” Hanji shook her head as she stared at the gear on the table.  
A heavy hand rested on Levi’s thin shoulder and he flinched away, looking up at Erwin through narrowed eyes. The blonde man held out a bulging sack a little larger than Levi’s fist. It clinked as Levi took it, but Erwin did not let go just yet.  
“You're skilled with machines, Levi. Level headed and no nonsense too. We could use someone like you with us when we go through with our plan.” The icy blue eyes studied Levi’s face. “Will you consider coming with us when we leave? If you do you'll get more than just a bag of coins. You'll be given citizenship on the Surface.”  
Levi drew in a sharp breath, stunned by the offer. He heard a soft snort of disbelief from where Mike stood and even Hanji seemed a little alarmed, crying, “Erwin this isn't what we planned-”  
But Erwin cut off her words with a slight movement of his hand. He remained quiet, awaiting Levi’s answer. Tugging the bag free from his hands, Levi took a step back from Erwin. “No. I helped because I need the money, not because I wanted to get caught up in some illegal plan. I've no interest on living up where I don't belong.”  
He waited, expecting Erwin to press him harder, but the man simply nodded once and held out his hand. Levi took it and they shook briefly before Levi pulled away and strode out the door, giving Mike a wary look before disappearing into the maze of streets. A siren wailed its distinctive shriek, echoing off the walls and ceiling. Levi looked up and muttered a soft curse. He had stayed longer than he had thought he would. It was well past midnight and he was incredibly late coming home. Furlan was going to kill him.

Erwin stared after Levi even once the door had closed, brow furrowed as he thought. He did not notice Mike coming to sit across the table until the man spoke.  
“Why did you ask him to join us?”  
Erwin bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before responding. “Because I think he would be a valuable asset. He could fix the 3DMG when it breaks, help with the wall security, and would be invaluable when we find what we’re looking for. An Omega9 with that sort of disposition...and with that coloring too...I wonder if there’s a way to change his mind.”  
Silence ensued for a long couple of minutes. Then Erwin began carefully packing the gear back into their boxes and away from prying eyes. “Hanji, see what you can learn about Levi. Use any means necessary.”  
A devilish grin spread across Hanji’s face and she stood, pulling on her jacket before pressing her right fist over her heart. “It’ll be my pleasure.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi experiences the cruel reality of the illusion of peace and security.

Silence hung heavy in the sulfurous air as Levi and Furlan walked towards the furnace. It was unsettling and gnawed uncomfortably at Levi. Usually Furlan would be talking, running over the day’s agenda, lecturing on safety measures, and checking to see that they both had all the tools they needed, but now there was nothing. They hadn't properly spoken to each other since Levi had come back two nights previously with the money from Erwin. He had explained that he had taken a once in a lifetime opportunity to help provide so Furlan would not have to work such long hours and could pick Isabel up sooner. But Furlan had not responded the way Levi had expected. Levi knew he would be upset with Levi taking so long to come home, but the money should have lifted his spirits. Instead Levi saw open disbelief and distrust on his friend’s face.

“You expect me to believe that someone came down here and found you to do a job for them? I'm not an idiot, Levi! You have a reputation with me for being a thief. I know you mean well, but this is going too far!”

The memory alone was enough to elicit a flush of shame and anger from Levi’s pale cheeks and he stared resolutely at the ground. Suddenly Furlan came to a halt and caught hold of Levi’s shoulder.  
“Levi wait a moment.”  
“We’ll be late, Furlan,” Levi said, his tone empty of emotion.  
“I’ll take the blame for that. Just hear me out.”  
Levi sighed softly and turned to look at Furlan through narrowed eyes, waiting impatiently. Furlan ran his fingers through his hair as he seemed to search for the right words, then he said seriously: “I'm sorry. I don't know how you came across that money, but I jumped to conclusions. I don't like being at odds Levi. Can we set this argument aside?”  
Levi snorted slightly and turned away, shaking his head a little and walking towards the Overseer. “You're such an idiot.”  
A moment later Furlan caught up to him and then passed him, going to speak to the Overseer and receiving a slip of paper with his maintenance squad’s work detail for the day. As he jogged over to where Levi stood with several other men and women, Levi saw him glance his direction and offer him the slightest of smiles. The knot of tension in Levi’s stomach dissolved immediately. Furlan had understood the meaning behind his blunt words.  
“Today we’re working on the fourth tier. There's a downed generator that powers the courtrooms and palace that must be up and running by mid afternoon. Take extra care when you're up there, no one’s checked the walkway recently and it could be unstable.”  
Turning, Furlan led the way to a crude elevator that would take them to the second tier of the furnace. Levi followed several paces behind the rest of the workers. The fourth tier of the furnace was seldom in need of repair, something the raven was glad of as it hung above the core or the furnace. It was hot, dangerous work and he was not happy at the prospect of spending the day in such conditions. Furlan noticed Levi’s reluctance and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Still scared of heights, Levi?” He asked, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried to suppress a smile. Levi gave him a look of annoyance and shrugged off his hand. “Shut up…”  
Stepping onto the metal grating that served as the floor of the elevator, Levi looked down and watched as the trash covered ground retreated below them. The people grew small and hard to see through the smoke and shimmering heat waves. The ground seemed to roll with each fresh wave of heat from the furnace, and Levi felt his stomach turned over with sudden sickness. He looked up in time to see the lift draw level with the once distant walkway. It stopped with a jolt that would have thrown him off balance if he hadn't already been gripping the rail for dear life. He was pushed off and onto the suspended platform by his fellow workers and felt Furlan catch his arm to steady him. He tugged away lightly and looked up to see the familiar, sympathetic smile.  
“I forgot how much you hated it up here.”  
Levi shrugged again, though with less conviction than usual. “I'm fine. Where’s the generator?”  
Furlan pointed a little higher up as he started walking towards a rusted iron ladder, pausing once he reached the base and turning to look at Levi. “Don't look so worried, Levi. I promise I won't let you fall.”  
His tone held a note of teasing, but his eyes were soft with remembrance of words that echoed from the past. Levi knew he was thinking about the first time they had met. It had been the only other time Levi had been assigned to work on the upper levels when he was only thirteen. He had stood frozen with fear after making the mistake of looking down. Furlan had been the one to snap him out of his tense daze, clapping a hand on his shoulder and promising to take responsibility of Levi until his feet were flat on the ground once again.   
Letting out a soft huff of amusement, Levi moved up behind Furlan and started to climb, feeling the hot metal through the worn leather of his gloves. “It's different for you, Furlan. Some of us aren't used to seeing everything from so high up.”  
His friend’s laugh steadied Levi more than his hand ever could and he felt confident as he pulled himself up onto the top walkway and stood up. Several smaller paths led off this main one to humming and vibrating generators and it was to the second one on the left that Furlan went with Levi close behind. This one was completely silent, covered in a thick skin of dust, cobwebs, and grease. Furlan crouched and pressed his hand to the top for support as he opened the control panel. Levi suppressed a shiver at the thought of the filth now coating Furlan’s fingers. Furlan never worked with gloves, claiming that they messed with his precision on the job, but Levi always insisted that he wash his hands before having any contact, something Furlan accepted with only a little teasing. He took a step back as his friend stood up abruptly and turned to face the rest of the workers.  
“Eld and Gunther, go check the two generators on this side for any damage or repair needs. Oluo and Flagon look at the three on the other side. Make sure you're careful on those walkways.”  
Oluo had been leaning against the rail but quickly stood up straight at the reminder. “What are we looking for exactly?”  
Levi let out a snort of derision at the density of this other worker, but Furlan responded with his usual patience. “Just for any other potential hazards that we can fix while we’re up here. It’ll save us another trip.”  
Oluo nodded and jerked his head toward Flagon who followed him with a good natured roll of his eyes. Alone now, Furlan focused on the exposed mechanics of the generator, carefully poking around a little and examining wires. Levi stood back and let him work, always fascinated by the quick, sure movements of Furlan’s large hands as they handled the delicate wires. Furlan reached for a switch after reattaching some gears, but nothing happened and he frowned, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand and leaving a smear of grease.  
“Right, you're turn Levi. See if you can find the problem.”  
Levi knelt on one knee, tugging at his leather gloves before leaning in close. Tangled wires, stiff gears. He reached for his tools and pulled out machine lubricant, dripping it into the cracks between gears and giving them a few good turns with a hand crank to distribute the fluid evenly. He then moved to check over the wiring job that Furlan had done. This earned him a loud laugh from Furlan.  
“So now you're the one checking my work? You've gotten cocky working on your own.”  
“It's always better to check a second time and have everything right than to walk away and have the furnace explode.” Levi said dryly, quoting one of Furlan’s favorite scraps of advice. A hand ruffled his hair and then he heard Furlan’s voice retreating. “Good to know something stuck with you. I'm going to check with the others. I trust you can handle this just fine.”  
The praise didn't surprise Levi, he knew his work had improved significantly when working on his own, but he was surprised to feel a sudden glow of pride and pleasure. He had missed working with Furlan. A sudden spark in the depths of the machine caused him to flinch before quickly returning his focus to the task at hand.  
“Sparks are good. It means that energy is flowing somewhere...I just need to find where the flow is stopped up.” He thought, carefully reaching further into the generator and pushing aside some stray wires. The furnace below rumbled and the generator sparked again. “Ow!” Levi hissed, drawing his hand back as the charge shocked him through his glove. He scowled and pulled out a small wrench before reaching in once again. He gently grasped some loose wires and looked at the ends. Frayed metal greeted him and he frowned. Disconnected. So that meant there had to be a place to reconnect it. Deftly clipping the frayed ends Levi wound the wire around a bolt before twisting the end to another wire. He tightened the bolt and took a long moment to examine his work. Then he reached to flip the switch.  
The generator rumbled and vibrated, steam hissing through the pipes. The walkway rattled enough that Levi was slightly off balance as he stood, a rare smile touching his lips. The walkway gave a sudden jolt and Levi stumbled sideways as the floor suddenly sloped at a steep angle, the rocky ground of the cavern suddenly all that was left far below him. He didn't have time to scream as his vision went momentarily black and then sharpened to crystal clear as his senses kicked into overdrive. A hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt and jerked him up and backwards, half dragging him across the remaining walkway before he was released and left to stand on his own. His legs promptly gave way beneath him and he would have collapsed had Furlan, of course it had been Furlan, not gripped his shoulders and supported him. “Stand up. Breath. Levi breath!”  
The tightness in Levi’s chest prevented him from breathing but he forced himself to relax his tense muscles. Air rushed into his lungs and he gasped, the panic crashing over him now that he could think about what had happened. His chest heaved and tremors shook him. He could see the rest of the maintenance squad watching him with mingled shock and relief. “F-Furlan.” He gasped in barely more than a whisper.  
“Shh...you're alright. You're safe. Nothing happened...You. Are. Alright.” He took a moment to touch Levi’s cheek, forcing him to look into his firm, concerned eyes. Levi’s pupils were contracted so that the silver of his eyes dominated them, but slowly he began to finally relax. Furlan was right. He hadn't fallen. He was safe. Taking a shuddering breath, Levi shut his eyes briefly then opened them, giving Furlan a small nod. “I'm alright.” He repeated softly and Furlan slowly let go and took a step back. “Good boy…”  
For once, Levi did not mind the paternal words and he forced himself to stand up despite the shock that still weakened his legs. Furlan turned to look at the other workers. “Right, we’re done here. Let's go down and I can sort out what's going to happen with that lost generator.”   
As Oluo led the mad scramble to the lift, eager to get back on solid ground, Furlan looked back at where Levi stood on the edge of the main walkway. “I meant what I said.” A soft scraping sound caused them both to flinch, but it was only the lift swaying on its supports as the workers piled on. “I told you I wouldn't let you fall.” Furlan grinned at Levi, trying to make light of the situation. He was rewarded with one of the raven’s rare smiles. The scrape came again, piercing and painful to hear, the floor shuddered below them and Levi stumbled back as Furlan shoved him and sent him reeling. Levi caught sight of Furlan’s face, saw the look of pure relief in his eyes. Then, with a scream of metal on metal, the rest of the walkway leading to the generator collapsed, plummeting to the stone floor and taking Furlan with it.

Levi stared blankly at the empty space before him. The platform had broken...broken and he had backed away. He had just let Furlan push him away. He had let him fall. Let him fall...Fall. The word sent a jolt through Levi and he whirled around and ran to the lift, jumping in and jerking the crude brake that held them in place. They dropped quickly, faster than usual, but Levi didn't care. Furlan had fallen. He would be hurt. He would need help getting back to their home. He would be waiting to reassure Levi with a strained smile. He had to be.  
“Levi!” Yelled Flagon, shoving him aside and locking the break into its original position. Sparks flew from the chain as they came to an abrupt halt a few feet above the ground. Levi didn't bother waiting for them to start moving again. He vaulted the rail and landed on the ground, taking off in a run towards a growing crowd below the generators. Good. People could be helping Furlan until he got there. Levi pushed into the press of bodies, straining to get through, ducking and weaving and elbowing people in a frantic attempt to get through. “Please...I have to get through!” He gasped. The heat and smell of sweat was sickening. But the hush that greeted him as he grew closer to the center of the crowd was even worse. With some effort, Levi burst into the small clearing at the middle, stumbling to a halt, slightly disoriented. Then his eyes locked onto the crumpled figure on the ground.  
“Furlan!” Levi said, his voice strangely loud in his ears as he ran over and dropped to his knees by his friend’s head. The ground below was red and sticky, blood clotting in Furlan’s ash-brown hair. Levi moved quickly to press his bare hands against the back of Furlan’s skull, the blood warm as it stained his hands. “Hey. You're a mess. Wake up and help me get you out of here. I can't carry you myself.”  
There was no response. Levi’s eyes narrowed and he gave Furlan’s shoulder a gentle shake. “Stop messing around! This isn't funny.” Still nothing. No movement. No heart beat. No breathing. Levi whirled, unable accept what he was seeing. His silver eyes bored into the watching crowd. “What are you idiots staring for?! He needs help! He’s bleeding out!”  
There was an uncomfortable silence. Then a burly man stepped forward and looked down at Levi, eyes filled with regret at his own words. “He’s not bleeding anymore, son.”  
The words were like a slap in the face to Levi. He could not believe this. It wasn't real. These people were so blind! Turning his back on them, Levi leaned over Furlan and took off his own jacket to put it under his friend’s head. Then he pressed his hands over the still heart and began pumping. Hard and steady and desperate. After thirty repetitions, Levi pinched Furlan’s nose and placed his mouth over the other man’s feeling the other’s chest rise under his free hand. Then he went back to pumping. With each unsuccessful breath, Levi’s movements grew more and more frantic. This wasn't working. The man’s voice behind him reminded him of the surrounding crowd. “Son...it's no good.”  
Panting, Levi sat back, palms pressed over the lifeless chest. Then he doubled over, chin quivering as a painful, swollen lump invaded his throat. “Furlan…”  
“The Overseer!” The fearful whisper rustled like wind over dry leaves through the onlookers and they parted to clear a path as the muscular, thickset man strode through, his heavy cane in hand. Levi didn't move.  
“What the hell do you think you lot are doing? Did the siren signal a break that I missed?” He snarled, dark, animalistic eyes scanning the Omegas around him. They shrank back and some began slinking back to their abandoned posts. The man who had been speaking earlier ventured to speak. “There was an accident, sir. One of us died.”  
“I can see that, idiot.” The Overseer growled. “Why haven't you cleaned this mess up? The death of an Omega doesn't mean work stops!”  
Levi felt anger start smoldering deep within him at those words even as he fought to keep his composure. The heavy footsteps of the Overseer grew closer and stopped beside him. “You men throw the body in the furnace. Get out of the way, brat!”  
These words only made Levi cling the tighter, fingers clutching the dirty fabric. “No.” He said softly, his voice surprisingly steady. There was a soft gasp from the crowd as Levi looked up, eyes blank but defiant. The Overseer was impassive, looking at Levi for a long moment. Then, quick as lightning, he swung his thin, metal cane and struck Levi across the face followed by a hard kick to his stomach. Levi skidded backwards across the trash strewn ground, gasping for breath and coming to a halt by the man who had spoken out. Two men were breaking away from the crowd and lifting Furlan’s limp, broken body. His head lolled back and his eyes opened slightly, glazed over and staring at nothing. The men quickly stripped him of his jacket and tool belt before walking towards the open maw of the furnace. Levi pushed himself upright.  
“Stop!” He cried, voice breaking as he tried to reach Furlan. But even as the plea escaped him he saw them thrust Furlan into the swirling red and gold flames before shutting the heavy hatch over the opening and locking it in place. Levi came to a halt. The Overseer have a satisfied nod and turned away roaring: Get back to work!”  
White hot fury blinded Levi and he lunged at the man, wanting to tear the cane from his hands and beat him until he bled. The welt on his cheek was throbbing in time to the rapid rhythm of his heart. A pair of arms grabbed him from behind and he struggled violently, “Let me go!”  
“Enough!” The man from before glared at him, his blonde hair and beard concealing it somewhat, his blue eyes fixed on Levi. “You'll get yourself killed if you aren't careful.” He pressed something warm into Levi’s arms. Furlan’s jacket. “Go home, son. Your friend won't thank you for getting in trouble on his behalf.”  
Turning away, the man vanished into the crowd and Levi stared after him before walking dazedly towards the wall of the cavern and his home. The world has gone blurry, his throat so tight it almost hurt to breath. His head spun. Furlan was gone. Furlan was burning to ash in the furnace. And Levi had not been able to say a proper goodbye. It was traditional for the dead to be cremated in the furnace, but usually after a day of mourning and another day of preparations. It was a ceremony that never had been compromised. And now…  
Levi’s foot caught on the bottom stair leading up to the small home in the wall and he fell, barely catching himself in time. Furlan’s jacket was still clutched in his hands and he stared down at it, barely able to see through the haze filling his eyes and distorting the world around him. Somehow it only had a little blood on it near the collar where Levi’s sticky hands had been holding it. His hands were covered with Furlan’s blood. Guilt filled him as he gazed down at them. Furlan had used his chance of escape to push Levi further to safety. He should have grabbed his hand. Why why hasn't he tried to help Furlan?  
Levi hardly noticed that he was back in the small cave-like home. He washed his hands, red blooming against the cracked white of the wash basin as his hands touched the water. He felt sickness in the pit of his stomach as he carefully cleaned the jacket as well. The room was so empty. It has always seemed crowded in here with their belongings, the table, and the three mattresses, but without Furlan Levi knew it would feel incredibly large and empty even with Isabel running around.  
Another wave of nausea swept over him. Isabel. How could he possibly tell Isabel what had happened? She was so young...and Levi doubted that he could work and take care of her the way Furlan had. But Furlan would want her to be safe and happy. Levi slumped in a chair and hid his face in his hands. “What am I supposed to do, Furlan?” He whispered.  
A sudden rapping on metal called his attention away from his dazed thoughts. Isabel. The woman Furlan had paid to watch her would be wanting payment now. He needed to make sure that she was not frightened. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes. He could not panic. He could not cry. He could not let this take over. Isabel was his priority and he had to make her happy. He could grieve later.  
Arranging his features into his usual cold expression, Levi walked to the curtain covering the entrance and pushed it aside, stepping out and bumping into a tall figure. He recoiled in surprise, looking up to meet the ice blue eyes of Erwin Smith.


	4. Chapter 4

“What the hell are you doing here?” Levi asked flatly. Erwin pressed his fist over his chest in a sort of salute. “Forgive our intrusion, but we have a proposition for you.”  
“I told you no and I haven't changed my mind.” Levi said. “Now get lost.”  
“Levi.” Hanji stepped forward from behind Erwin, startling the young man. She looked tired, shadows under her eyes and her hair in a sloppy ponytail that looked as though it hadn't been washed for the past two days. She ran her tongue over her lips nervously before saying urgently: “We need to speak in private. Please. Can we come inside?”  
Fixing Hanji with a withering glare, Levi hesitated, then stepped aside. “Make it fast. I'm trying to-”  
“Deal with your friend’s death.” Erwin said, stepping into the cramped room and causing Levi to back up quickly. “We know Levi. That's part of why we’re here.”  
“What do you mean?” Levi asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion. “How did you know?”  
Erwin leaned back against the wall, studying Levi as if he had never seen him before. “Mike was watching today. He saw your friend fall. Please accept our sympathies for your loss.”  
Levi turned away and reached for the jacket on the back of the chair, absentmindedly adjusting it so it hung better. “What's the point?”  
“Hear us out and that can be made clear.”  
With a heavy sigh, Levi looked down at his hands, wanting to get the conversation over with. “Go on.”  
Erwin looked satisfied and launched into a lengthy explanation, his tone low and intense. “I've already asked you to join our mission, and yes, I know that you don't want to!” He said quickly, raising a hand to cut off Levi’s impending interjection. “But I know that I didn't ask the way I should have. You cannot blindly follow a stranger into the unknown and so I’ll tell you everything.  
“I've done a lot of research into the history of the city’s military and discovered that one branch did more than simply go beyond the walls waving swords and hoping to make it back alive. They had a weapon. A weapon strong enough to match the Titans in strength and that killed many of them almost effortlessly.”  
“Impossible.” Levi scoffed. Erwin wasn't discouraged and continued: “That's what Mike and I thought too, then we met Hanji who had discovered more evidence to that effect. We decided then that we couldn't let this information slip away. We could use it. Expanding our territory, even if it was just into Wall Maria’s reaches, would be such a relief. The overcrowding situation would be temporarily solved, we could grow more food, and humanity could feel hope again. Perhaps it would be enough to motivate a resurgence in efforts to eradicate the Titans once and for all!”  
Levi found himself almost swept up into the passion of Erwin’s speech. The man genuinely seemed to believe that this fabled weapon was the key to freeing humanity, his eyes were alight with hope and earnest excitement. But Levi kept a level head and leaned on the back of the chair, “So you want to find this weapon. What do you need me for?”  
Erwin looked surprised at Levi, as if he had expected Levi to see what he was getting at without an explanation. The expression aggravated Levi. “The weapon is strong, stronger even than the high powered cannons they've mounted on the walls recently. But it's been out of use for centuries now and there are no records that we can find explaining how it works. We need someone who knows machines like the back of his hand, someone who is skilled, old enough to take care of himself, but young enough so that he won't slow us down. We need you to fix this weapon up for us, Levi.”  
Levi’s eyebrows rose and he gave Erwin a glance of extreme skepticism. Then a wry smile that looked more like a grimace twisted his face. “So I go with you, leave Isabel to fend for herself, go beyond the wall, and risk dying all for the sake of a weapon that may or may not exist. Sorry. I'm not interested.”  
Turning his back on Erwin, Levi struck a match and held it to the wick of a kerosene lantern before shaking it out and setting the lantern by the carefully wrapped half of a loaf of bread, planning to try and pacify Isabel with some bread and butter, a rare treat. He had seen Furlan do it often enough that he had faith in its calming effects on the energetic eight-year-old.  
“Levi, please reconsider,” Hanji said from where she stood by the curtained entrance. “Think of the benefits-”  
“I don't see any benefits. A life on the Surface isn't worth the blood I'll shed to stay there.” Levi said scathingly. “I've told you no and nothing you say will change my mind.”  
There was a very long silence, so long that Levi actually wondered if Erwin and Hanji had left. Then he heard Erwin clear his throat uncomfortably and the sound of papers rustling as they were looked through.  
“I was hoping you'd agree to join us without much prodding,” Erwin said, sounding regretful. “But clearly I’ll have to work harder.”  
He looked down at the papers in his hands. “Levi. Alternatively known as 3720, an Omega9 born in the Underground.”  
Levi waited, not turning away from his work as Erwin paused, not giving the blonde man a reaction he could feed off of. The smooth, deep voice continued: “You began working at a young age in a child work camp, feeding the furnace with garbage until you showed an aptitude for engineering and were recruited to train as a helper to a junior technician. The technician was Furlan Church. Is this information correct?”  
“Yes.” Levi said dully. He could feel both Erwin and Hanji staring at him. His grip on the knife tightened slightly. “Why do you care?”  
“Your mother was Kuchel-”  
Whirling around, Levi stared out Erwin. He hadn't expected that. “How did you-?”  
His eyes fell on Hanji, her eyes fixed resolutely on Erwin and not him. She showed no surprise at his words but her lips were pressed into a thin line as if she had eaten something bitter. Levi gritted his teeth and stalked over to stand by the table across from Erwin who only gave him a cool glance as he continued to speak.  
“According to these notes she was a prostitute. She lived down here for a year before she had you and, for some reason, decided to keep you. She died when you were eight after falling ill and lacking the nourishment to stay strong. I'm assuming she gave her food to you.”  
Levi flinched slightly, hands curling into loose fists. “Get out.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“I said get out,” Levi snapped. “I've listened to your reasoning and I don't want to join you. So stop wasting your time and mine. I have to go get Isabel.”  
He brushed roughly past Hanji and reached to thrust aside the curtain. A hand gently caught his sleeve and he halted briefly as he heard Hanji ask softly: “You want to give her the best life she can possibly have.”  
Levi bit his lower lip then nodded. “It's what Furlan would have done.”  
“So you'll work hard, pay for her to be taken care of all day and then what? What happens when she turns thirteen and enters the work force? What happens when the money runs out? You have a lot, but not enough to live on for more than a year-”  
“If you're saying I can't provide for Isabel than you're wrong!”  
“Levi!” Hanji’s voice was sharp and he turned to face her, anger boiling behind his calm exterior. She looked serious, warm brown eyes concerned. “You can only provide for so long. Then she’ll go the the work camps until she can live on her own. You can't protect her then.”  
Silenced, Levi pulled his arm from Hanji’s gentle grasp and he glared at her for a long moment before saying: “I can try.”  
“Levi...please. Let us help. Why are you so determined to stay down here when you can have a better life on the surface?”  
Levi just shook his head, “Where would Isabel stay if I agreed? She couldn't come with us.”  
“No,” Hanji agreed, voice gentle. “But we do have a place for her. With your family.”  
The few guards Levi had let down were up again in an instant. “I don't have any family.”  
Shaking her head, Hanji gave him a smile, “Yes, you do. Your mother’s end may not have been impressive, but she came from a long line of influential people. One of the top two families in the government aside from the king himself.”  
“Who?” Levi asked warily.  
“The Ackermans.”  
Shock flickered briefly on Levi’s face. Everyone knew of the Ackerman clan. They were leaders in regards to the king’s security forces, overseeing law enforcement in the city and below it. His whole life had been spent avoiding the people on the Ackerman payroll, cursing their name along with everyone else. The possibility of them being related was revolting. “You're lying.”  
“I'm not.” Hanji said. “Think about it, Levi. You had to have been given some sort of hint as to your mother’s family. Kuchel Ackerman. She was once a popular figure on the Surface-”  
“Don't talk about her like you know her,” Levi said softly, stepping back and sinking slowly into the second chair at the table. He did not want to believe this. But the more Hanji spoke the more he was starting to believe her. Early memories surfaced, memories of men coming to his mother’s room at the brothel, calling her by two names. The second he had never given a thought to, his young mind quickly dismissing it. But now...Kuchel Ackerman.  
“Oh, God…” He breathed, feeling as if all the air had been driven from his lungs. Hanji moved to stand by Erwin, wringing her hands nervously. “You believe us?”  
Levi gave her a short nod, staring down at the stone floor. She gave a nervous laugh, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “Well! That's good!”  
“So does that mean you’ll join us?” Asked Erwin, his eyes still locked onto Levi. The raven grimaced slightly before raising his eyes to meet Erwin’s. “My mother’s family never took an interest in my her fate or mine, why would they suddenly help me now?”  
Nodding and giving Levi an approving look as if he were a student who had asked a very crucial question in class, Erwin laced his fingers together and rested his elbows on his knees. “The Ackerman family is the only reason we found you. They're our...patrons in this endeavor. The head of the family, your uncle, is eager for anything that might help humanity gain some sort of firepower and stability. We have, of course, informed them of your identity before approaching you again to get their approval, but they made it clear that they would be willing to take both you and Isabel in.”  
“‘Willing?’ They sound wonderful.” Levi said dryly. “Why would they deign to bother with the bastard son of a disgraced sister?”  
Erwin chuckled, “Clearly you never were taught about how the line of succession works in history and through to today.”  
“The work camps must have missed that part in favor of the other enlightenment they gave us.”  
Both Erwin and Hanji laughed at that, though Levi had not meant it to be funny. Hanji wiped her eyes, “Oh I like you, Levi. Erwin made a good choice.”  
Levi leaned back in his chair, shaking his head a little. These Surface-dwellers kept their emotions so close to the surface, it was almost unsettling to see them laughing so easily. Eyes bright with mirth, Erwin hurried to explain to Levi: “In the line of succession, wealth, position, title, land, and anything else in the possession of the owner is handed down to their eldest male heir. The current head of the family never married and thus has no child of his own. A distant relative named him guardian of their child, a seventeen year old girl. You're the only male heir and, knowing these old families the way I do, they’ll do just about anything to keep their family name alive.”  
Levi was disgusted. So he was a last resort. A pawn used as a means to an end. He wanted to turn this down, wanted to spite these people. He did not need their help.  
“They wanted us to assure you,” Hanji said, “that Isabel would be well taken care of when you weren't around. All her needs would be met and then some. She would also receive the highest education. If you're worried about her situation, if you have any doubts about going, let this reassure you. Isabel will be safe.”  
Levi stood slowly and turned, picking up Furlan’s jacket and sliding his arms into the sleeves. It had always been a little short on Furlan and it was now a little long for Levi, but he rolled the sleeves once and shoved his hands into the pockets, standing with his back to Hanji and Erwin. “You should’ve left when I told you to earlier.”  
His tone was resigned and a flash of triumph showed on Erwin’s face. “So you'll help us?”  
“Yes. But I'll have to tell Isabel about Furlan first and pack.”

As if the name had summoned the child, the curtain was thrust aside and Isabel dashed in, not noticing the strangers around the table but making a beeline for Levi, flinging her arms around him. “Aneki!” She cried, green eyes bright with excitement. “Look! I found a feather!”  
She held up a bedraggled grey plume proudly so Levi could see it. He gently touched it with one finger. “That's a good find.” He said softly, trying to imitate the way Furlan used to speak to the child. Isabel rubbed the feather softly against her cheek, not noticing the glance Levi gave Erwin and Hanji as the two of them slipped out.  
“D’you think Furlan will like it?” She asked. Furlan had never asked for Isabel to call him her father and she never had, but the way she spoke his name basically held the same meaning and it made Levi’s heart ache all over again. He slowly knelt in front of Isabel so they were on a level with each other.  
“Yes...yes I think he would love it.” Levi swallowed hard and reached to brush a hand quickly through the tangle red mop of Isabel’s hair. “Isabel…” The expectant trusting look in her eyes only made this harder to say. “Furlan…You won't be able to see Furlan for a long time now.”  
Isabel’s face fell. “Why?”  
“Because...because Furlan died. There was an accident and...he died.” Instantly Levi regretted the way he had said that, expecting Isabel to burst into tears. But she just regarded him solemnly, the feather still clutched in her tiny fist. “What’s ‘died’?”  
Levi frowned slightly, struggling for an answer. Furlan had done a good job of protecting Isabel from such harsh realities, but it did complicate the process of explaining what had happened. “It's like going to sleep. But you never wake up.”  
His voice broke on the last words but Isabel did not seem to notice. She looked sadly at her feather, tears welling up in her eyes. “So I can't show him my feather?”  
Levi brushed away the tear tracing a path through the dirt on Isabel’s face and shook his head. Isabel’s face screwed up and she fell forward onto Levi’s shoulder. Levi slowly wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her back, feeling her ribs and spine through the thin fabric of her too large shirt. After a few minutes, he pulled away and reached to dry Isabel’s face with his sleeve. “Hey kid. It's going to be alright.” He managed a smile and was relieved when Isabel returned it with a watery one of her own.  
Standing, Levi moved towards the back of the shallow cave where the three narrow mattresses were laid out. “You and I are going to find a new home now. Somewhere that Furlan wanted you to live. A place with lots of color and food and-”  
“And birds?” Isabel asked. Levi laughed, a quick, low sound, and turned back to Isabel, wrapping a small blanket around her in a makeshift cloak. He tugged back the “hood” so he could see her face. “Yes. Lots of birds. You'll have enough feathers to make your own wings soon.”  
Isabel giggled and tucked the feather into her tangled mop of hair for safe keeping, prompting a second laugh from Levi. He cinched his tool belt around his waist and shouldered his satchel filled with money and a few keepsakes. He wrapped the bread and butter he had prepared in a clean cloth and tucked that in beside the depleted money bag. “Come here, Isabel.”  
He held out his hand and Isabel moved forward and slipped her hand into his. He was relieved to see that the sadness and confusion in her eyes had been replaced by curiosity, even excitement. Pushing aside the curtain in the doorway, Levi stepped out into the wavering light of the blazing furnace. Erwin and Hanji were talking in hushed tones to each other, but stopped quickly as Levi approached. Hanji quickly crouched in front of Isabel with a big smile.  
“Are you Isabel?”  
Isabel looked up at Levi and then nodded. He felt her squeeze his fingers tighter. Hanji nodded back, “I’m Miss Hanji. I’m so glad to have met you!”  
After a moment of silence, Hanji reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bag. “Are you hungry? I brought some sweets for you if you want.”  
The word sweets caught Isabel’s attention and she held out a hand for the bag with all the authority of a queen. Hanji chuckled and let her take it. One cookie later it became clear that Levi would have competition for Isabel’s affection as the eight-year-old shoved a second wafer in her mouth. He gave Hanji a dirty look and then turned to face Erwin. “We’re ready to go, but I have to pay the woman who watched Isabel today-”  
“I've already taken care of that,” said Erwin dismissively. “She was waiting outside. There’s no need to worry.”  
Levi gritted his teeth, irritated at Erwin for stepping in where he was not needed. “We aren't charity cases,” he growled, starting down the steps. “Keep that in mind.”  
Erwin brushed past Levi and led the way. “You can pay me back then. Whatever makes you happy.”  
They moved quickly once they reached the floor of the cavern, winding through the maze of houses, shacks, and tents while avoiding the open ground surrounding the furnace. Gaunt faces looked up as they passed, hollow eyes staring before turning away. Isabel soon stumbled in her effort to keep up, and Levi paused to pick her up. Her arms slipped around his neck and her cheek rested against his shoulder as they continued onward. They were going out of the way to take the long route. Walking in circles, doubling back, ducking into doorways and hiding in shadows. Levi was growing impatient and, to his mild annoyance, nervous. During one of these stops in a dark stretch of alleyway, Erwin said softly: “I’ll need you to put Isabel down, Levi.”  
A clink of metal on metal reminiscent of a rattling chain struck Levi’s ears and he tensed. He slowly set Isabel down as his mind raced. He felt Erwin move closer saying, “Hold out your hands.”  
Levi obeyed. His hands thrust forward, slamming into Erwin’s chest just below his ribcage. He heard the air rush from his lungs as he stumbled back and Levi lunged, arm encircling Erwin’s neck and his momentum dragged them both backwards, Erwin’s head striking the crumbling brick wall behind him.  
“Levi!” Hanji cried, sounding horrified. Levi ignored her, pulling out a short, sharp knife and pressing it firmly to Erwin’s throat with one hand while his other held Erwin’s wrists in a vice grip. Hanji rushed forward to pull Isabel back from the fight but Levi shouted, “Keep your hands off her or I’ll cut his throat!”  
Hanji jerked her hands back, eyes wide behind her glasses, clearly at a loss as to what to do. “L-Levi...what are you doing?”  
“What does it look like I’m doing?” He snarled, silver eyes blazing with cold fury. “I'm not coming quietly.”  
Erwin was not even attempting to escape, instead remaining motionless in Levi’s grip. He spoke softly though and Levi flinched at the sound of his voice right in his ear. “I'm sorry, Levi. I should have told you the plan to get out of here. I didn't realize you would react like this, but of course it makes sense that you would.”  
Levi pressed on the knife and Erwin swallowed hard before saying evenly: “The Military Police won't let two Omegas leave the Underground and we can't your your family’s name since they requested us to act discreetly. We planned to make it appear that you had been sold and we were taking you to your owners.” A trickle of blood ran down Erwin’s neck as he spoke. “You can check the cuffs if you want; they don't lock at all.”  
For a tense moment, Levi did not move. Then he released Erwin and shoved him away roughly. “Fine. Let's just make this quick.”  
He stowed the knife out of sight and held out his hands. Erwin slipped the cuffs on and tightened them around his wrists. There was no clicking of a lock and Levi felt some relief. He gave a nod for Isabel to do the same as he did and she obeyed, looking a little scared. Levi felt guilty for that. Hanji took his bag to make the slavish appearance more accurate. Their eyes met briefly and, where Levi had expected to see wariness, anger, or hurt, there was only pity. Pity that made him want to slink into a dark corner and hide with shame. He hated that look.  
They were moving again and Levi kept Isabel in front of him where he could watch her. As they approached one of the large sets of metal doors that led to the surface, Levi ducked his head and tried to look defeated. It was not difficult, all he had to do was think of Furlan and his expression grew empty, his shoulders hunched, and his vision blurred. He stumbled several times as he blinked to clear his eyes. By that time they were starting to climb the stairs out, winding upward towards the sky. Erwin paused once they were out of sight of the guards at the doors and helped removed the cuffs so Levi could pick Isabel up again. Levi was growing tired, grief and physical exertion sapping his strength.

Just when he felt like they had been going up for longer than was typical, Levi saw light ahead, a pale, silver-blue light flooding in through a pair of open doors. Erwin stepped out and Hanji moved past Levi and Isabel to follow. A wagon piled high with supplies and driven by a tall figure Levi assumed was the third member of the party he had been made a reluctant part of. Mike’s large nose was unmistakable. Hanji turned to face them, her expression difficult to read in the dappled shadows on her face. “It's close to midnight now. The journey will take most of the night and much of tomorrow too. We made certain there were bedrolls for you and Isabel.”  
She smiled and climbed into the back of the wagon. Levi remained standing just inside the doorway. He could still feel the heat of the furnace at his back, still taste the ash and dust, still see the home he had left deep below the ground. The Underground was all that he had ever known and, with Furlan there, it was all he had ever needed. Levi glanced back over his shoulder and back down into the depths of the earth. Then his grip on Isabel tightened and he stepped forward, out into the cool air of the Surface. His eyes were drawn upward to the polluted, smoke choked sky above. Wind had torn a ragged hole in the clouds and the moonlight streamed through and down onto the earth below. A few scattered stars could be seen through the haze. It was a sight marred by the byproducts of the furnace Levi had kept running, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  
Isabel shifted position and turned her head to follow Levi’s gaze. “Aneki?” She said sleepily. “I wish Furlan was seeing this…”  
Levi shut his eyes briefly and when he opened them again they were soft and sad. “I know, Isabel...I wish he was too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my readers! Sorry for the later update! Thank you to those who have left comments so far, and please keep leaving them because they help me improve my writing so so much! Helpful and kind criticism and advice is welcome!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter?! What?! I know! Shocking isn't it? I finally found my old notes on this and so it's back to the grind! Comment and let me know what you think! Also, if you figure out how the heck to fix formatting let me know cause I'm completely at a loss :(

Small hands shook Levi’s shoulder, tugging at the fabric of his shirt. “Aneki! Aneki look!”  
A soft groan escaped Levi and he opened his eyes slightly, squinting in the sudden brightness surrounding him. After a few minutes, Isabel’s face came into focus and Levi forced himself to sit up. The sun had broken through the polluted clouds and illuminated the world in a way that neither Isabel nor Levi had seen before. Colors more vivid than any Levi had seen in the city or below it surrounded them. Green grass stretching away into forests, a blue bird with a red throat swooped low over the wagon, even a few flowers thrust upward through the sooty soil. Under a grey sky it would be easy to see the reality of the tainted nature they passed, the dull shade of the grass only a few steps away from brown, the limp and dirty feathers of the bird, and the drooping petals of the pink flowers, but in the rare golden beams of sunlight everything was transformed and left Levi dazzled. He couldn't seem to take it all in fast enough, head turning quickly to catch sight of each new marvel Isabel pointed out to him.  
“It's so pretty, Aneki!” She cried, turning her hazel eyes on him as she pulled herself up to lean over the edge of the wagon. Levi quickly tugged her back down by the back of her shirt as he breathed so that only she could hear: “Yes...it's beautiful.”  
“Glad to see you awake,” Hanji’s voice startled Levi and he turned quickly to face her. She sat close to the end of the wagon writing in a leather bound notebook. The pages were covered in sketches and diagrams surrounded by notes. Noticing Levi’s gaze, Hanji shut the book and tucked it out of sight. “You were out for a while. I'm glad that you slept though, I was afraid you wouldn't considering how tense you were, but you nodded off around five this morning.”  
“And what time is it now?” Levi asked hoarsely, his throat dry. Hanji hurried to pass him a flask of water which he took a grateful swig of. “A little after three I'd say. But I thought it would be best to give you time to recover-”  
“I'd rather not sleep so long next time.” Levi said coldly, sensing that she was about to bring up Furlan, the last thing in the world he wanted to think of. Hanji studied him for a moment before looking down and taking out her notebook again. “Suit yourself.”  
Isabel had struck up a very one sided conversation with Mike who lay with an arm over his eyes to block the light. “Can you smell really good with your big nose? Can you smell me? Furlan said that dogs smell people far away sometimes, can you do that?”  
Levi debated stepping in and stopping Isabel’s barrage of chatter, then decided that having his ear talked off by the eight-year-old was the closest thing to payback for the rough kidnapping Mike had given him. Laying down again, Levi’s fingers curled to tightly clutch the fabric of Furlan’s jacket. It was hot to wear in the sun, but Levi did not want to take it off and risk losing it. He shut his eyes and focused on removing the pain searing his heart with every beat. It was hard. Agonizing even, but Levi soon had done what he so often did with difficult emotions, cutting them off and pushing them away until such times as he was fit to deal with them. Difficult though it was for him to shut Furlan away like that, Levi could not prevent a soft sigh of relief. He relaxed slightly and let his mind drift in darkness, dozing lightly and only vaguely aware of what was happening around him.  
A sudden jolt of the wagon startled Levi out of his drowsy daze, his head bumping hard against the jostling floor. Wincing, he sat upright, rubbing at the back of his head. Hanji was driving up at the front now and Erwin was busy entertaining Isabel by letting her look on as he read a book. It looked like an ancient journal, the spine cracked and pages torn. It had to be filled with illustrations, otherwise Isabel would not be so rapt. Erwin clearly was weary of her constant chatter and page turning, but he put on a good front for the child.  
“Isabel,” Levi called, jerking his head for her to come to him. She quickly obeyed and sat down beside him. Rummaging in his bag, Levi took out the remaining food from home and handed it to the girl, buying them all a little silence until she finished eating.  
“I didn't peg you as good with children, Levi,” Erwin said, flipping back to his original spot in the book.  
“I'm not.” Levi denied. “I just watched someone who was.” His voice did not quaver as he mentioned Furlan, something that relieved him greatly. Erwin studied him for a moment then tipped his head back to look at the sky. Clouds of smoke had closed over the sun again and the world had gone dim in an early dusk. A gust of wind struck the wagon as they rumbled on, it's harsh fingers tangling in Levi’s hair and tugging at his clothes. He felt Isabel edge closer to him in search of what little warmth he could afford.  
Suddenly Mike sat up and turned his head so he looked into the wind. He inhaled sharply through his nose, his eyes squinted against the acrid breeze. “We’re close. Turn up here, Hanji.”  
Hanji snapped the reins and the horse lurched into a trot before evening it's pace. The trees creaked in the wind as they traveled through a path between the trunks. The darkness of the forest was oppressive but an instant later it ended abruptly, opening to reveal a wide swath of land surrounded by massive trees that were clearly centuries old. The dirt and gravel road became a cobblestone driveway leading up to a massive house. Levi couldn't help but stare, his mouth open slightly. The smooth grey walls rose three stories and sprawled outward, surrounded by neatly trimmed grass and gardens. Real glass windows glinted in the dim light.  
“Is this where the king lives?” Isabel whispered. Levi shook his head a little and Hanji turned in her seat with a broad smile. “Not here. We’re far away from the king by now. This is the Ackerman home and one day it will belong to Levi.”  
The bottom seemed to drop out of Levi’s stomach at the thought. Isabel’s eyes grew huge with awe and she looked quickly up at him. “Levi Aneki! Can I stay here too?!”  
Levi wanted to deny all affiliation with this house, but he could not bring himself to upset Isabel with the blunt words on his tongue. So he nodded slowly. Isabel beamed and knelt to look ahead as they pulled up to the front of the mansion. A pillared canopy flowed seamlessly upward from the grey marble steps, providing shade for a pair of ornately carved oak doors. Hanji reigned in and set the brake before leaping down. Erwin did the same and turned to face Levi and Isabel.  
“Your family will be expecting us. And since they're in charge of our funding, we'd be wise not to keep them waiting.”  
Standing up, Levi climbed out and turned to get Isabel only to find that Mike had already swept her up into the air and set her down. She giggled excitedly. “Do it again!”  
Mike just smile faintly and turned away. Hanji gave him a short wave. “We’ll fill you in on everything later tonight.”  
Her hands gently prodded Levi and Isabel’s backs to get them to move forward. Isabel skipped after Erwin while Levi followed more slowly, listening to the sounds of the wagon rolling away towards the back of the house. He watched as Erwin raised a hand to knock firmly on the door. His breathing suddenly caught in his chest and tension filled him. He did not want to do this.  
The door swung open and Erwin stepped inside with confidence. Hanji set a firm hand on Levi’s shoulder and gave him a bright smile. “In we go!”  
She gave him a shove that propelled him inside and Levi blinked in the comparative brightness from outside. The walls of the entrance hall rose three stories and were lined with doors at the base. A grand, sweeping staircase led to an upstairs landing. Their footsteps echoed off the walls and white marble floor. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, glowing with the recent invention of electric lights. Levi turned to look back and saw a tall young man with black hair and freckles closing the door before standing straight beside it. His eyes briefly met Levi’s and he gave him a curious look followed by a furtive smile before looking away.  
“Lady Ackerman.” Erwin’s respectful salutation snapped Levi’s focus back to the front. A young woman was descending the stairs, her footfalls muffled by the thick carpet, her emerald dress contrasting sharply with a beautiful red scarf. She paused a few steps from the bottom and scanned the group, her eyes alighting on Isabel first and then Levi.  
“When my uncle is absent you have my full permission to call me by my name, Erwin.” He voice was strong and deeper than Levi had expected. There was a steely glint in her black eyes and Levi recognized her as someone who was not to be tested.  
Erwin inclined his head respectfully. “Of course, Mikasa. If I may, allow me to present your cousin, Levi Ackerman.”  
He moved so that Levi was at the forefront of the small group. Mikasa descended the last few steps and crossed to stand in front of Levi. She seemed to study him for a few moments then finally met his gaze. “Levi...welcome home.”  
Revulsion filled him but Levi sensed that Mikasa was being genuine when she said those words. He gave her a slight nod but nothing more. She seemed amused by this, the corners of her mouth twitching as if to suppress a smile. She quickly turned her attention to Isabel who was staring at her in awe.  
“And who are you?” Mikasa asked, her voice growing gentle as she bent to look Isabel in the eye. The child reached to clutched Levi’s sleeve with one hand before responding. “Isabel. I-s-a-b-e-l.” She said, looking proud.  
Mikasa really did smile this time and she stood up straight. “Well, Isabel, would you like bath and something to eat? I'm certain your…” She hesitated, glancing at Levi uncertainly. “I'm certain Levi wouldn't mind.”  
Isabel glanced at Levi. He nodded and she smiled a little. “Ok.”  
Satisfied, Mikasa straightened up. “Come with me then. Marco.”  
The young man by the door stepped forward. “Yes, ma’am!”  
“Bring Lord Ackerman to his room and see that he has everything he needs.”  
Mikasa took Isabel by the hand and led her up the stairs as Isabel began asking her questions and talking about their journey.  
“We’ll be leaving early in the morning, Levi.” Erwin said. “I'll send word to you so you can be ready.”  
Levi turned to face him, eyes narrowed. “Leave? You can't mean that we’re going outside the walls already!”  
“That's exactly what I mean.” Erwin said calmly. “The sooner we find the weapon the sooner life can become safer for the whole of humanity. That's not something I'm putting off.”  
Grimacing, Levi turned away. Hanji’s voice sounded close to his ear. “Don't worry, Levi. I've planned this out for months. You'll be perfectly safe.”  
Levi said nothing and waited until he heard the front door close, staring straight ahead.  
“Excuse me...sir?”  
The voice beside him startled Levi and he turned quickly to see the doorman, Marco, looking at him. “Are you ready to go to your room?”  
“Don't call me ‘sir.’” Levi said coldly. “I’m not one of them.”  
Marco looked a little puzzled. “Then...what am I supposed to call you?”  
Levi gave him a look of disdain. “How about my name?”  
“L-Levi?!” The boy stammered, staring at Levi like he had lost his mind.  
“See, that wasn't so hard.”  
“B-but I can't-”  
“Just take me to my room,” Levi interrupted. “I've got an early morning tomorrow and I need to rest.

Despite the warm bath, good food, and luxurious bed, Levi found himself tossing and turning late into the night. He stared at the opposite wall of his opulent room for almost an hour before he finally got up and went over to the window. The window overlooked the sprawling gardens behind the house and the dense forest even further back. The moonlight made everything look black and white. Cold, unrealistic, dead. Letting the curtains fall back into place, Levi turned back to face the room. He felt restless. Caged in. Trapped.  
Unable to stand it any longer, Levi seized Furlan’s jacket from the back of a chair by the dying fireplace, and tugged it on over the black cotton pants and plain shirt. He picked up a candle from his bedside table and slipped out into the hallway. The darkness pressed in on him and the small, flickering flame seemed insufficient against it. Levi let himself wander, not caring about where he was going, only caring that he was moving. He rounded a corner and found himself in a large sitting room. His light illuminated a large painting on the wall. An old man stood in the top left corner while a dark haired man with the start of a beard stood on the right. They flanked a chair upon which sat a beautiful woman with silver-grey eyes and long black hair. Levi gasped and raised the candle higher to study her face even though he remembered it clearly. He never could forget his mother’s face, but somehow seeing it here was proof that she really had belonged here and that all that Hanji and Erwin had told him was true.  
“She was eighteen when that picture was made.” Levi whirled around, startled. A light clicked on, revealing a tall, thin man seated in a leather armchair, legs crossed, black eyes looking intently at Levi. He was many years older, but Levi immediately recognized him as the young man from the picture.  
“Kutchel left home about six months later.” The man continued. “We never got word from her until she died.” He spoke casually, as if discussing the weather. Levi set the candle down on a table.  
“Kenny Ackerman.”  
“Bright one aren't ya?” Kenny said, smirking as he pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, setting one between his teeth and holding the box out to Levi. “Take one. You look like you've seen a ghost.”  
Levi slowly did and held it to the candle flame before taking a long drag. Smoking had always been a guilty pleasure of his, a deed done in secret since he knew Furlan would disapprove. But now, after a few minutes of smoking in silence, Levi felt his jangling nerves beginning to calm down. Kenny was gazing at the portrait, seemingly lost in thought.  
“Bet you never thought you'd end up here, did you boy?” He asked suddenly. Then he went on without waiting for a response. “Yeah...you brats from the Underground never amount to anything. What use are mechanics on the Surface? I never thought I'd be playing host to your kind…”  
Levi’s muscles tensed in anger as Kenny kept talking, standing up and pacing before him. “You're here because you're the only option I have. I needed someone to carry on the family name, but I wasn't looking for a thug like you. You have a lot to learn if you're going to survive in this world. Do you think you're up for that?”  
“Yes.” Levi said through gritted teeth. Kenny looked at him and then laughed harshly. “Do you? Well I'd like to see you try. And you're going to have to try, because this world is more than wealth and food and women, boy. You have to be ruthless. Unyielding. Determined to do what's right for the people on the Surface. You have to grow up and take whatever life throws at you like a man. And do you know what I see?”  
Kenny stepped close to Levi, looming over him and staring him down. Levi stood his ground and stared right back, unflinchingly. “I don't see a man. I see a gutter rat that's not worth the dirt it's living in.”  
Loathing surged though Levi and he clenched his hand into a fist. The half smoked cigarette fell from his fingers to the floor and smoldered by his Kenny’s booted foot. “Don’t.” He hissed. Kenny chuckled. “I’m not frightened of your bravado, brat. If you want to prove yourself to me then false threats won't get you anywhere close to earning my respect. That's one flaw I can already see in you. You're afraid to act on instinct.”  
Turning away, Kenny turned off the light then ground out Levi’s cigarette with the heel of his boot. “The next time you threaten me, follow through with it.”  
He strode out of the room and vanished into the darkness in the hall beyond, leaving only the lingering scent of cigarette smoke behind him. Levi stood frozen, staring down as the crushed remains of his cigarette. Then he retrieved the candle and slipped out through another door, his heart feeling numb.

“Levi.”  
His eyes opened slowly to see a blurry figure standing by his bed. He blinked and sat up with some difficulty, slumber weighing him down once more. “Who…?” He began, his words slurred with sleep. Then his vision cleared and he saw it was Mike standing over him. Then he remembered that Erwin had said they would be leaving the safety of the walls that morning and he almost groaned aloud at the thought. Mike set a satchel on the bed.  
“Get dressed. It's time.”  
Getting up, Levi took the bag and stepped into the bathroom. He reached in to find fresh, new clothes and his heart leaped in his chest. Clean clothes were a rarity in the Underground so these, plain though they were, seemed like a treasure to him. Levi quickly got changed into loose, dark brown pants, a white shirt, and a grey, hooded pullover. At the bottom of the bag he found a pair of lace up black leather boots that, to his surprise and pleasure, fit perfectly.  
Returning the the main room, Levi picked up Furlan’s jacket and put it on over the light pullover before strapping on his tool belt and shoving his work gloves into a deep pocket. The second he was finished, Mike ushered him into the hall, down the stairs, and into the garden. All the while he motioned for Levi to be silent until the reached the cover of the trees. There they found Hanji and Erwin consulting a map as they leaned against the side of a wagon. They looked up as Mike and Levi came into view and Hanji gave a jubilant wave. “Morning, Levi! Lovely day to go outside the walls isn't it?”  
Levi shook his head slightly, but his attention was drawn to the straps and metal boxes adorning Hanji and Erwin, and which Mike was in the process of donning. “You're bringing the 3D maneuvering gear I fixed.”  
“Yep! Mostly as a precaution since I'm very certain that if we stick to the plan we won't be seeing any Titans up close today.” Levi distinctly heard the disappointment coloring Hanji’s voice as she said that.  
“We should go,” Erwin said, folding up the map and tucking it away in an inside pocket of his jacket. “We’ll want to be well on our way by the time the sun is high in the sky.”  
He and Mike quickly untethered two horses from a tree and swung into the saddle with ease. Hanji climbed into the wagon seat and patted a spot beside her. “Hop on up, Levi, you're riding with me on this leg of the journey.”  
Levi obeyed, still feeling very groggy from his restless night. As they began rumbling through the winding forest paths, he struggled not to doze off to Hanji’s lecture on her Titan theories. But his sleepiness vanished as soon as they emerged from the woods. His eyes widened and he craned his neck to look upward as Hanji grinned, “Your first time seeing the walls? They're really something aren't they?”  
Levi did not respond, his eyes scanning the wall with fascination. What had once been nothing more than stone mounted with a few cannons was now a veritable war machine. The stone was plated in metal with high pressure cannons all along it at all the various known Titan heights. They were powerful enough to blast one of the monsters’ heads clean off their shoulders, often killing them in the process. Gears ground within and without as jets of steam hissed from cracks to relieve some of the pressure. Before them was a heavy steel gate and, as Levi watched, Erwin spoke with a guard at the base and he pressed a button. The gate slowly rose up off the ground until there was room for both horses and the wagon to pass under it. Hanji snapped the reigns and the horses pulling the wagon broke into a canter, slipping beneath the gate, which crashed down into place behind them only moments later.  
Levi squinted in the suddenly dim lighting. Dense fog swirled around the small group, making it difficult to see clearly. He immediately felt alarmed. “Isn’t it dangerous not being able to see clearly?” He asked Hanji, his voice hushed in case any Titans were nearby.  
Hanji laughed. “Actually we got lucky! This fog should prevent us from seeing the sun for a little longer, maybe an hour or so. We should be just fine.” She noticed Levi’s confusion and said: “Titans are given energy through exposure to sunlight. So the longer they're kept away from it the more time we’ll be safe.”  
Levi was not comforted and remained stiff and alert, eyes scanning the fog all around them before he twisted to look behind. He saw nothing. After about two hours the world began to grow lighter, the most shifting from grey to white dappled with golden sunlight. And then, almost before Levi had registered the change, the fog melted away and left them riding onward in dazzling brilliance. Levi was stunned. The sky was a pale, eggshell blue, the grass tall and waving and green. Trees sprouted tall and proud in the distance but they grew closer to a smaller grove only a couple hundred yards ahead of them. Glancing down over the edge of the wagon, Levi’s eyes narrowed suddenly at the sight of silver gleaming at intervals through the tall grass.  
“Woah!” Hanji said suddenly, pulling the horse to a halt just outside the shelter of the trees. Erwin had dismounted and now beckoned Levi over.  
“Help me gather some of this equipment.” He held up a part Levi recognized as belonging to 3D maneuvering gear before bending to gather more. “Mike’s getting some too so if we get three sets there should be enough.”  
“Enough?” Levi questioned, moving over to the side to try and find some more parts.  
“Enough parts for you to fix up a set of gear for your own use.”  
Levi gave Erwin a calculating look, wondering at this. “Why would I need this?”  
“Even if your main purpose is to fix the weapon, it would be best if you could defend yourself. And you'll need this if you're going to have any hope of surviving a Titan attack. Now hurry up and get into the cover of the trees.”  
Levi quickly bent and shoved aside a thick swath of grass, searching for more gear. He found a rusted pair half covered in dirt and weeds and pulled it roughly up. As it came up, a jumble of bones clattered back to the ground. Levi’s heart stuttered in his chest as he saw the bleached skull lying at his feet. Half of it was crushed. Swallowing his disgust, Levi gathered the remainder of the gear and loaded it into the back of the wagon with the rest of the camping equipment and food before climbing back into the seat beside Hanji. She clicked her tongue and the wagon rolled onward.  
“You found a body didn't you?”  
Levi nodded, face impassive. Hanji grimaced. “Thought so. There are hundreds of them scattered around here. This is where humanity fought the final battle with the Titans.”  
“And lost.” Levi added dryly. Hanji shrugged. “I suppose...we lost a lot, yes, but we gained so much by way of new technology!”  
Levi just shook his head and waited until Hanji stopped once again in a small clearing in the grove of trees. Together they unloaded the bedrolls and lay them out. Erwin and Mike were nowhere to be seen but after about fifteen minutes they returned, declaring that they had not been sighted by any Titans and that there were none to be seen on all sides.  
“Excellent!” Cheered Hanji, leaping up and brushing off her hands on her pants. “We should get started with our search for the weapon immediately!”  
Mike however had picked up a satchel containing their food and brought it to the center of the clearing, sitting down on his bed roll and opening it to rummage for food. Erwin joined him, “I think it would be best to eat first considering none of us have eaten yet today.”  
Hanji looked disappointed but then her smile appeared once again. “Alright then! Levi and I can go look for some firewood, we’ll need it tonight.”  
She snatched Levi’s wrist and bolted into the forest, dragging him so that he stumbled and crashed through the bushes behind her. He finally yanked his hand free in time to catch his foot on a root which sent him sprawling on the leaf strewn forest floor. He sat up as Hanji’s voice echoed through the trees around him.  
“Better keep up, Levi! You’ll be Titan food on your own!”  
Levi stood and looked around but could find no trace of Hanji. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. Irritated, he began shoving his way through the bushes and undergrowth, trying to find his way back to the campsite. “Shitty four-eyes...she’ll get both of us killed running around the woods like this.”  
The trees thinned slightly and Levi saw light ahead indicating a clearing. He pushed back a branch and stepped into the clearing. “Erwin did Hanji come through-?”  
Levi stepped directly into a sudden shadow. His words caught in his throat and Levi froze in place. His eyes slowly drifted upward, first taking in the massive torso, then the bared teeth, and then the deep set, glaring emerald eyes locked onto his own. Levi’s heart nearly stopped as he glanced from side to side and saw where he had so blindly wandered. He was trapped between the massive cupped hands of a fifteen meter Titan.


End file.
